Gauge plate adjusting mechanism for slicing machines



Oct. 12, 1954 c. KLINGENS GAUGE PLATE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 25. 1950 INVENTOR:

K IN NS go Eu/s GE ATT'YS 12 1954 c KLINGENS 2,691,398

GAUGE PLATE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed Sept. 25. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: CORNELIS KLINGENS ATT'YS Patented Oct. 12, r954 2,691,398

GAUGE PLATE ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR SLICIN G MACHINES Cornelis Klingens, La Porte, Ind., assignor to U. S. Slicing Machine Company, Inc., La Porte, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application September 25, 1950, Serial No. 186,649

3 Claims. (01. 146-102) The improved gauge plate adjusting mechanism comprising the present invention is used in connection with food slicing machines in general, and is adapted for use on slicing machines of the type shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 186,646, filed September 25, 1950. The invention is, however, capable of other uses and the same may, if desired, be employed with or without modification in connection with other slicing machines having gauge plates associated with the slicing knife of the machine.

It is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide a gauge plate adjusting mechanism by means of which the gauge plate of a slicing machine may be adjusted relative to the cutting edge of a circular rotary slicing knife and which is extremely simple in its construction yet rugged and durable in its operation and which is comprised of a minimum number of moving parts, thereby being unlikely to get out of order.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a gauge plate adjusting mechanism for slicing machines of the type illustrated in the above mentioned copending application which is so disposed relative to the machine food table that it is conveniently accessible to the right hand of the operator. In carrying out the above mentioned object, the invention contemplates the provision ofa slicing machine of the gravity feed type having a rotary slicing knife which is mounted for rotation about an axis inclinedto the vertical and in which the gauge plate is likewise inclined to accommodate the position of the slicing knife and wherein an adjusting knob is provided for controlling the advancing and receding movements of the gauge plate with the knob being positioned at the front of the machine and behind and. beneath the gauge plate where it is conveniently accessible to the oper ator.

A still further object of the inventionis to provide an adjusting mechanism which operates under the control of a calibrated adjusting knob and including means whereby the adjusting knob may readily be positioned by an initial adjustment thereof so that a zero reading may be obtained when the effective edge of the gauge plate assumes a position within the plane of the slicing knife.

Yet another object of the invention is to pro- I vide a gauge plate adjusting mechanism for slicing machines which is easily assembled and dis assembled for cleaning, inspection and repair.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent throughout the progress of the specification which is to follow.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings:

Fig. l is a rear perspective view of a slicing machine constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the improved gauge plate adjusting mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. .3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

.Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view partly in section of the gauge plate and its supporting and adjusting mechanism. In this view aportion of the gauge plate supporting bracket has been broken away to more clearly reveal the nature of the invention;

Fi 5 is a detail vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the food slicing machine to which the present gauge plate adjusting apparatus is applied is substantially identical with that shown in the above mentioned copending application. The machine involves in its general organization a supporting structure or main frame [0 (Fig. 5) which may be formedas an aluminum or other metallic casting. The frame includes a base l2 and an upstanding casing M (Fig. 1) having a motorhousing section If) adapted to at least partially enclose therein the driving motor M for the usual circular rotary knife l8. which is supported for rotation about an inclined axis from a knife box 20 integrally formed and projecting laterally from the motor housing [6. An inclined food table 22 of the V-shaped'gravity feed type is arranged perpendicularly to the slicing knife [8 so that a block of foodstuff carried on the food table will be fed by gravity to the cutting plane of the knife forcutting slices from the piece of foodstuff. The food table is disposed on a slidable bracket 23 in the usual manner whereby the same may be reciprocated in a linear path to cause the foodstuff carried by the table to be moved across the running edge of the cutting knife. A gauge plate 24 is provided for the purpose of gauging the thickness of slices to be out from the foodstuff by the slicing knife 18. A food pusher 26 is adapted to cooperate with the food table for the purpose of assisting a block of foodstuff to move by gravity down the table toward the slicing knife. A slice receiving table 28 is disposed beneath and behind the plane of the cutting knife and gauge plate for the purpose of receiving thereon slices of foodstuff severed from the main body thereof. A knife sharpening mechanism designated in its entirety at 30 is provided for the purpose of sharpening and burring the edge of the circular knife l8 when required.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 4 and 5, a mounting bracket 32 for the gauge plate which may be in the form of a casting is suitably secured as, for

example, by means of screws 34 to the base 12 and projects upwardly therefrom and is provided with a mounting post or pillar 35 having'formedthereon a sleeve portion or member 36 through which there extends a guide rod 38 and which has its opposite ends 40 and 42 projecting therefrom so that when the guide rod 38 is secured within the sleeve portion 36, the bracket 32 and guide rod 38 are rigid and fixed relative to the base l2.

An adjustable supporting member or casting 46 is provided for the gauge plate 24 and includes a head or plate 41 to which the gauge plate 24 is secured by means of screws 48. The supporting casting is provided with a shank portion 49 which extends downwardly and away from the head portion 41 at angles as shown in Fig. 1. The shank portion 49 is provided with a web portion 59 and a pair of aligned spaced bearing portions 52 and 54 which are connected together by the web portion 50. The bearing portions 52 and 54 are provided with a pair of aligned sleeve bearings 56 therein adapted to receive the respective ends 40 and 42 of the guide rod 38 so that the shank portion 49 and consequently the entire supporting casting 46 may be possessed of limited axial sliding movement along the axis of the guide rod 38 to advance or retard the gauge plate toward and away from the plane of the cutting knife. It will be noted that the angularity of the stationary guide rod 38 relative to the axis of rotation of the slicing knife I8 is such that movement of the supporting casting 48 in a downward direction along the axis of the rod 38 will carry the arcuate edge of the gauge plate 24 downwardly out of the plane of the circular edge of the cutting knife as well as laterally away therefrom. In other words the gauge plate 24 is movable in a direction having one component of motion toward and away from the plane of the cutting knife and another component of motion toward and away from the circular edge of the cutting edge.

A pin 6B projects outwardly from the sleeve portion 36 of the bracket 32 and carries thereon a roller 62. A cover plate 64 which may be formed of sheet metal and which is cup-shaped in its design is provided with a series of elongated slots 66 therein through which a plurality of anchoring screws 68 are adapted to pass for clamping the sheet metal cover 64 to the shank portion 49 of the supporting casting 46. The sheet metal cover 64 substantially encloses the opening provided in the web portion 50 by means of which the two bearing portions 52 and 54 of the shank portion 49 are connected together.

Referring, now to Figs. 2 and 3, an adjusting,

knob 10, which may be formed of a suitable plastic material as, for example Bakelite or the like, is provided with a cylindrical, serrated manipulating portion 12 and an outwardly flared frusto-conical skirt portion 1 4 terminating in a flat circular face 1 5. A cam plate 18 is secured by means of an anchoring screw 89 and locating pins 82 to the surface of the face I6 of the adjusting knob '10. The cam plate 18 is provided with a reduced portion 84 which, when the plate 18 is anchored in position by means of the anchoring screw 89 and locating pins 82 provides an annular groove 86 which exists between one face of the plate 18 and the face 16 of the adjusting knob 10 and which is adapted to receive therein the edge portions of an opening 88 provided in the cover plate 64. The cam plate 1 8 has formed on its inner surface a spiral cam 90 in the form of a spirally shaped outstanding flange designed for contact with the roller 62 carried on the pin 60. A spring clip or retaining element 92 is secured by means of a screw 94 to a ledge provided on the sleeve portion 36 of the bracket 32 and bears against or at least opposes one surface of the spiral cam 90. The clip- 92 and the roller '62 are adapted to slidingly engage the spiral cam or flange 90 therebetween with a sufficient degree of friction to maintain the adjusting knob m in any desired position of adjustment.

Because of the fact that the gauge plate supporting casting 46 is secured to the guide rod 38 by means of sleeve bearings 56, means must be provided for preventing turning movement of the shank portion 49 of the casting 46 upon the guide rod 38 and toward this end a portion of the supporting casting 46 is turned laterally as at 95, Fig. 4, and is provided with a groove or guideway 96 therein adapted to be received over a stationary key member 98 provided on the bracket 32. Since the gauge plate supporting casting 4B is possessed of limited sliding move ment axially of the guide rod 38, the key 98 is of relatively short length and is possessed of limited sliding movement in the guideway 96. The key 98 serves as a reaction member to prevent turning of the entire gauge plate assembly about the axis of the guide rod 38.

The adjusting knob 19 is provided with a series of calibration marks or indicia Hi0 thereon which cooperate with indicator means on the sheet metal plate 64, the indicia or graduations being indicative of food slice thicknesses.

From the above description of parts it will be seen that when the various parts are in their assembled relationship the adjusting knob as,- sembly including the adjusting knob proper l0 and the cam plate 18 are rotatably journalled in the opening 88 provided in the sheet metal cover plate 64. If the adjusting knob and cam plate are turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 the spiral cam or flange 99 will worm its way, so to speak, through the space provided for it between the peripheries of the roller 62 and the end of the spring clip 92. and will impart to the knob assembly, and consequently to the cover plate and entire gauge assembly, a directional movement having a vertical component of motion along the axis of the guide rod 38 and a horizontal component of movement wherein the circular edge of the gauge plate moves toward the circular edge of the slicing knife l8. Obviously, rotation of the adjusting knob in the opposite direction will impart to the entire gauge plate assembly a directional movement away from the circular cuttingfedge 'of the "slicing knife l8. a

In order to initially insure correct calibration of the adjusting knob Ill-when the parts are initially assembled, the clamping. screws 68 are loosened and the arcuate edges of the gauge plate is brought into exactregister with the circular edge of the slicing knife [8' by bodily moving the entire gauge plate assembly. With the various parts held in position of registry as described above, the adjusting knob 10 may be turned until its zero reading or calibration is in alignment with the reference .point on the sheet metal cover plate, after which the clamping screw 18 may be tightened. With the arcuate edge of the gauge plate 24 in exact register with the circular edge of the slicing knife I 8 and with the adjusting knob set to its zero position, any subsequent manipulation of the adjusting knob will cause the thickness of the slices of food stuff to be cut from the block of foodstuff on the food table 22 to be gauged in inches.

It will be seen that the above arrangement of parts provides a cam operated gauge plate adjustment for slicing machines of the type set forth in the above mentioned copending applications which, by virtue of the relatively small progressive pitch of the spiral cam or flange 90, does not require the application of a great deal of torque to the adjusting knob 10 to cause elevational movements of the gauge plate assembly. Likewise, the arrangement is such that the adjusting knob 10 may be conveniently positioned for manipulation by the right hand of the operator when the operator assumes the natural stance with respect to the machine during its operation. Furthermore, the adjusting knob of the gauge plate conveniently assumes an outof-the-way position behind and beneath the end of the gauge plate. Finally, the invention provides an adjusting mechanism which may readily be recalibrated from time totime to compensate for any wear that may take place at the edge of the slicing knife.

Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from those disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however, that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. In a slicing machine having a framework, a slicing knife movably mounted on said framework and adapted to cut slices from a substance in a cutting plane, a gauge plate movable toward and away from said cutting plane to vary the thickness of slices cut from said substance, supporting and adjusting means for said gauge plate comprising a stationary mounting bracket, a guide rod supported on said mounting bracket and extending at an angle to said cutting plane, a supporting member secured to said gauge plate and having a tubular body portion and a head portion to which the gauge plate is attached, there being a pair of spaced bearings adjacent the end of said body portion slidably disposed on said guide rod, an abutment on said mounting bracket, a resilient retaining member on said mounting bracket adjacent said abutment and spaced from said abutment, an adjusting knob rotatably mounted on said supporting member, and a spiral cam member carried by said adjusting knob and passing through the space existing between said resilient retaining member and-said abutment,- said resilient engaging member maintaining engagement of said abutment. with said cam upon'rotation' of the knob to cause said supporting member and knob to be moved bodily along the axis of said guide rod upon-rotation of said adjusting knob in either directionand to be secured at a predetermined position, the angularity of said guide rod relative to the cutting plane being such that the gauge plate is movable in a direction having one component of motion toward and away from the plane of the'cutting knife and another component of motion toward and away from the circular edge of the cutting knife.

2.'In a slicing machine having a framework, a slicing knife movably mounted on said framework and adapted to cut slices from a substance in a cutting plane, a gauge plate movable toward and away from said cutting plane to vary the thickness of slices cut from said substance, supporting and adjusting means for said gauge plate comprising a stationary mounting bracket, a guide rod supported on said mounting bracket and extending at an angle to said cutting plane, a supporting member including a head portion secured to said gauge plate and a shank portion of generally tubular design, a sleeve bearing adjacent each end of said shank portion and slidably disposed on said guide rod, a pin projecting from said mounting bracket, a roller on said pin, a resilient clip secured to said bracket and having one end thereof spaced from the periphery of said roller, a plate, means for adjustably securing said plate to said shank, an adjusting knob carried by said plate, and a spiral cam member disposed on said adjusting knob and frictionally passing through the space existing between said clip and roller to secure the gauge plate at a predetermined position, the angularity of said guide rod relative to the cutting plane being such that the gauge plate is movable in a direction having one component of motion toward and away from the plane of the cutting knife and another component of motion toward and away from the circular edge of the cutting knife.

3. In a slicing machine having a framework, a slicing knife having a circular running edge movably mounted on said framework and adapted to cut slices from a substance in a cutting plane, a gauge plate having an arcuate edge portion designed for registry with the running edge of the knife movable toward and away from said cutting plane to vary the thickness of slices cut from said substance, supporting and adjusting means for said gauge plate comprising a stationary mounting bracket having a tubular sleeve portion,' a guide rod disposed in and secured to said sleeve portion and having its ends projecting outwardly from the opposite ends of said sleeve portion, said guide rod extending at an angle to said cutting plane, a supporting member secured to said gauge plate and having a pair of spaced sleeve bearings therein, said supporting member straddling said sleeve portion of the mounting bracket, each of said sleeve bearings being slidable upon a projecting end of said guide rod, an adjusting knob rotatably mounted on said supporting member, an abutment carried by said mounting bracket, and a cam carried by said adjusting knob and designed for engagement with said abutment upon rotation of the knob to cause said supporting member and knob to be moved bodily along the axis of said guide rod upon rotation of said adjusting knob in either direction, the angularity ofrsaidguide rod relative to the cutting plane 'beingsuchthat the supporting member and gauge plate may move in a linear path having a component of movement normal to the cutting plane and a component 5 of movement parallel to said cutting plane whereby movement of the gauge plate in a direction away from said cutting plane will increase the distance between the circular edge of the gauge plate from the running edgeofthe slicing knife in a radial direction relative to the circular knife plate and in an axial direction relative to the axis of rotation of the knife and resilient means carried by said mounting brack-r et directed upon said cam in opposed relation- 15 81 ship to said abutment thereby to secure said gauge plate at a predetermined position.

References Cited .in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,889,539 Campbell Nov. 29, 1932 2,280,621 Biro Apr. 21, 1942 FOREIGN PA'I'ENTS Number Country Date 651,279 Germany Oct. 9, 1937 612,256 Great Britain NOV. 10, 1948 

